To capture the essence of what it means to be a girl on the field or the floor or the pool or the mat, we’ve compiled a list of five books with fictional female athletes that won’t only win the game, but are sure to win your heart along the way.

Pointe shoes. Pirouettes. Passion. Pain. If you’re a YA reader who enjoys dark dramas set against the competitive world of ballet, these harrowing stories deliver the complexity, edge, loss, and healing you’re looking for.